Infection and transmission of SARS-CoV-2 depend on heparan sulfate proteoglycans.
EMBO J
; 40(20): e106765, 2021 10 18.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1436404
ABSTRACT
The current pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and outbreaks of new variants highlight the need for preventive treatments. Here, we identified heparan sulfate proteoglycans as attachment receptors for SARS-CoV-2. Notably, neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 isolated from COVID-19 patients interfered with SARS-CoV-2 binding to heparan sulfate proteoglycans, which might be an additional mechanism of antibodies to neutralize infection. SARS-CoV-2 binding to and infection of epithelial cells was blocked by low molecular weight heparins (LMWH). Although dendritic cells (DCs) and mucosal Langerhans cells (LCs) were not infected by SARS-CoV-2, both DC subsets efficiently captured SARS-CoV-2 via heparan sulfate proteoglycans and transmitted the virus to ACE2-positive cells. Notably, human primary nasal cells were infected by SARS-CoV-2, and infection was blocked by pre-treatment with LMWH. These data strongly suggest that heparan sulfate proteoglycans are important attachment receptors facilitating infection and transmission, and support the use of LMWH as prophylaxis against SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Heparin, Low-Molecular-Weight
/
Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycans
/
SARS-CoV-2
/
COVID-19
Topics:
Variants
Limits:
Animals
/
Humans
Language:
English
Journal:
EMBO J
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Embj.2020106765
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